Join us in this enlightening episode as we explore the power of gratitude in the Christian journey. Jeff Archie, our esteemed speaker from the International Gospel Hour, delves into the foundational elements of faith that embolden individuals to remain steadfast in their devotion. With a special emphasis on the Corinthians’ experience as told in the Acts of Apostles, discover how these early Christians embraced their calling with faith, repentance, and baptism.
00:00:00 Introduction and Gratitude for the Audience
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, friends, this is something to think about, and that is our study today. Thank you, God. Part 3 awaits from the International Gospel Hour. Stay with us.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. We’re so glad you’ve decided to listen to our program today. In a world of challenges, we need God’s Word to help us face those challenges. Thank you for joining us in this period of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. So let’s listen today.
SPEAKER 02 :
Here’s Jeff. Well, thank you to our J-Web and greetings to all of you. We’ve been talking about being thankful, and I’m thankful for you who tune in to our broadcast, grateful for our listening audience. We are amazed at the number of individuals that listen to our broadcast. We hope it will help you in your walk. We hope it will help you draw closer to the Lord. We hope it will help you in answering some questions that may come to mind that you research in the Scripture to see God’s will for your life. So as we’re talking about being thankful, I want to pause here and say thank you and know that we have a great amount of free material here from International Gospel Hour. Everything we offer is free. I want you to check out some free material at gospelgazette.com. That’s one word, gospelgazette.com. And gazette has one Z and two Ts in it, gospelgazette.com. I want you to check out their website and then click on the Archive tab, and you’ll see over 25 years of articles penned by faithful Christian men and women. So please check them out at gospelgazette.com. Thank you, God. Oh, friends, thank you, God. This is part three of a three-part series of things of which we are thankful to God. When I awaken each morning, let me pause, pray, and praise the God of heaven, and just say, Thank you, Father. His name was Ernie. He’s passed on now, a dear friend and a dear encourager. But while teaching about prayer in a Bible class once, Brother Ernie raised his hand and I acknowledged him and he said, “‘Before I ask God for the things that I need in life, the first thing I must do is thank Him for what He has given me.'” And I thought, my, what a great thing to say. That impression has remained with me. To be thankful unto God before we petition Him. When I was a boy, I recalled a congregation where I attended, the home congregation, if you will, down close to where I grew up. I remember that they would have two prayers in the period of worship. Well, they would dismiss with a prayer, but they would have two prayers. They would have a prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer of petition. Loved that. In previous broadcasts, we’ve talked about being thankful to God for His love, His goodness, His salvation and blessings. And again, we say thank you, God. Now, we’re going to take these four things and bring this series to a close. When one embraces the love and goodness of God that brings one to salvation and obedience to God and embraces blessings only in Christ Jesus, would we not agree that is one who is victorious in Christ? Indeed. Well, hear this. 1 Corinthians 15, 57 and 58. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Thank you, God, for victory. So in a moment, we’re going to see how Christians embrace and walk in victory from this awesome text. But first, I want to pause, defer to our J-Web, and let’s talk about some video options you may find of interest. Here is our J-Web.
SPEAKER 01 :
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SPEAKER 02 :
Therefore, my beloved brethren… Now, brethren is a word for fellow Christians. How did these Corinthians come to be Christians? I take us back to Acts the 18th chapter and the first eight verses. After these things, Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. And he came to them. So because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for by occupation they were tent makers. And he, that is Paul, reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, Your blood be upon your own heads. I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles. And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justice, one who worshipped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Now, friends, let’s go back to 1 Corinthians. He’s writing to the church. That’s 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 2. Now, let me ask you something. Can we not concur that the adding to the church in Acts 2 and verse 47… Is the same church to whom the Corinthians were added in Acts 18? Without a doubt, friends, yes we can. And what did they do? They heard, they believed, and they were baptized. Just like on the day of Pentecost, they heard, they believed. They repented and were baptized, and I dare say the Corinthians also repented because that was the command of Christ in preaching the gospel, Luke 24, 44-47. An individual can be added to the church that we read of in the New Testament. The pre-denominational body of Christ can be added to the church. Through simple faith and repentance, confession of faith, and baptism into Christ. That’s it, folks. Very simple. So to these Christians, to these who had obeyed the gospel, Paul mentioned to them three victorious words of which to be thankful. What about the word steadfast, which means settled or steadfast, permanent, to continue? Every saint, every Christian from the first to the 21st century needs to heed this exhortation to keep on keeping on. To be steadfast in doctrine, Acts 2 and verse 42. Doctrine from the word of God, which is doctrine, 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. To be steadfast in your faith that’s in Christ Jesus. Colossians 2 and verse 5. To be steadfast in one’s confidence as a partaker. Hebrews 3, 14. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast, there’s that word, unto the end. You’re settled, you’re permanent, you are there. Now the word immovable. This builds on steadfast. It’s actually a negative word used in a positive way. Don’t be moved away from the hope of the gospel. Colossians 1 verse 23. And these same Corinthians earlier in 1 Corinthians 15, 1 through 4, knew the gospel that they had obeyed and they were to stand in that gospel. Ephesians 4 and verse 14, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. So when you and I look at Ephesians 4, 14, don’t be tossed to and fro and carried about. You can’t because you are immovable. You are settled and permanent and then you’re strengthening that base, you’re strengthening that foundation. Your roots grow deep and you’re not moved away from the gospel. Here’s a third word of which we can be thankful. Abounding, which means to be abundantly furnished in the work of the Lord. To abound in something. Which means we’re steadfast, immovable, but we are abundantly furnished. God continues to provide to the Christian the strength needed. Paul put it this way in Ephesians 2.10. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus… unto good works which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them, walk in good works, walk and serve. Jesus in Acts 10 verse 38 went about doing good, so the Christians should do the same. Colossians 3 verse 17 reminds us that whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, His authority, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. Friends, three powerful words for the Christians. steadfast, immovable, and abounding, to which we say, Thank you, God. Friends, would you like to learn a little more? I want to remind you of a wonderful study we will mail to you titled, God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. This great study booklet addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man. And friends, like all materials from International Gospel Hour, it is free. Now here’s all you do. You can call us toll free at 855-444-6988. Leave your name and address and just say God and man. That’s all you have to do. We’ll send it to you absolutely free. Or you can go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Click on the contact tab and leave us the same information. Name, address, and type God and man in the message box. And we will send that to you absolutely free. It’s another new Bible study available from International Gospel Hour. And we appreciate our friends at Godandman.com. But let me give you that website. It’s God-and-man.com. Be sure to put the dashes in there. Matter of fact, you can go over there and download it for free. And we’d encourage you, if that’s convenient, to do that as well. Thank you, God. What a great three-part series. The first two parts are available at our website at internationalgospelhour.com under Previous Shows. Thank you, God, for your love, your goodness, your salvation, your blessing, your victory in Christ, and the victory that keeps us steadfast, immovable, and always abounding. Friends, thank you for joining me for our broadcast. And as we wrap this up, we thank God for you, our listeners. Let’s continue our studies together at another time. I appreciate you joining me on the International Gospel Hour broadcast. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you for listening today. May this study prompt your search of God’s word for His will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to our other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory. God be with you till we meet again.
